What The Future Holds
by myfoolisheart
Summary: How much has changed since Joey, Jen and Andie made that drunken pact five years ago? (Written 17-01-01)


Twenty-three year-old Joey Potter tapped her heals, nervously looking around the crowded restaurant. She checked her watch again hoping she hadn't gotten the time mixed up or anything. No, Jen had said 8pm exactly. It was 7.57pm at that moment. So she had turned up a little early. She had to admit she was a bit nervous about meeting them again.

After Andie had left to go to Italy, she had kept in contact through emails and frequent phone calls. But after starting at Boston University she had gotten so busy that the emails became fewer and slowly, slowly they lost touch. She hadn't spoken to Andie in at least 3 years.

Jen had remained one of Joey's close friends even after college. Jen attended NYU and her and Joey tried to stay in contact, but eventually life got in the way. The last time Joey had heard from Jen was about 8 months ago. That was until today.

She was surprised to find an invitation in her email reminding Joey of a certain pact she had made whilst drunk, five years ago to the day. She had totally forgotten about it, but Jen hadn't, and as promised, she reminded them all.

"Joey?" Andie said cautiously from behind. Joey turned and smiled brightly at her old friend.

"Andie!" Joey got up and hugged her enthusiastically.

"How are you?" Andie asked.

"Good, great. How have you been?" Joey said.

"I'm quite good. Kind of nervous." Joey laughed lightly.

"Me too, it's been so long. I can't believe Jen remembered."

"Did I just hear my name?" The girls turned to find the petite blonde coming straight for a hug.

"Happy un-birthday!" Joey smirked.

"Haha, very funny Potter," Jen said, as they took their seats. There was silence for a few seconds as they all thought back to that night.

-&-

_Joey: Before anyone leaves this spot, we have a very important question to answer. Where do we really see ourselves in five years? And not the version you answer to your college advisor. Come on. _

_Jen: Alright, I plan to be starting work on my master's thesis on 'Are men necessary'. _

_Andie: And, I guess I'll be in PR. Cause I mean, that's all I've really ever been good at in life, painting a happy face on disaster. _

_Jen: Andie! _

_Andie: Oh. You know, think about it. _

_Jen: Okay, you're up. _

_Joey: Uhh… you tell me. _

_Jen: Alright, alright, that's an easy one. You will have graduated from a ridiculously expensive ivy league school, moved to New York, where you will have taken a job in a funky So-Ho art gallery where your starting salary is actually less than a year's tuition. _

_Joey: Why New York? _

_Jen: Because, New York is finishing school for cynics like us. _

_Joey: I'm not a cynic. _

_Andie: Okay, you're not exactly sunshine personified, Joey. Okay, okay you guys. Come on, right here, right now let's make a deal. In five years, we'll get back together and we'll see if any of these predictions actually came true. _

_Jen: Deal. _

_Joey: Deal. _

_Andie: 'kay. Joey. _

_Joey: Oh wait! You guys, how are we going to remember the date? It's not really Jen's birthday. _

_Jen: I'll remember. _

_Joey: You promise?_

-&-

"Five years to the day." Andie's said wistfully. "How time flies."

"I can't believe we all actually need to talk about what we've been doing these past few years. We all seemed to have lost contact." Jen said regretfully.

"Yeah, I guess life just really got busy." They partook in idle chitchat for a few minutes and reminisced about old times. By the time the food came and a few glasses of wine has been drunk they were all feeling very comfortable.

"Okay so let's hear it," Jen said. "One by one, what have you done in the past five years?" Everyone was silent for a few seconds, mulling it over in their mind.

"Okay I'll go first." Joey said brightly. "After Senior year I headed to BU with Pacey."

"You two still together?" Andie asked. Her voice was merely curious, not judgmental.

"Yeah," Joey smiled back at her. "And um, I was going to save this till the end of my summary but since you brought it up. I'm engaged." Joey pulled her hand out and showed them the ring.

"Wow congratulations Jo, why didn't you tell me?" Jen asked.

"Well we kind of lost touch so… Pacey proposed about two months ago."

"Have you set a date yet?" Andie asked.

"No. It won't be for a while yet." Joey smiled looking at the ring on her finger. She and Pacey were engaged and more in love than ever, and she couldn't imagine it any other way.

"So anyway back to your life." Jen said, breaking Joey from her daze.

"Okay well, I went to BU with Pacey, he went to a community college for the first two years before transferring to BU with me. I was majoring in the Arts and after college I started work at an Art Gallery, the one I'm still at now. Pacey and I bought an apartment together, not far from here. I'm the assistant-manager of the gallery now."

"Wow, you've done so much, just as I predicted." Jen said smugly.

"Well apart from the bit about moving to New York." Joey smirked.

"Yeah well, Pacey's managed to change you from the cynical teen you once were, into a dreamer."

"I know." Joey grinned. "Just don't let him know." She laughed. "You know, he wanted to come tonight when I told him I was coming to see you two. But I insisted it was invitation only."

"How's life as a teacher?" Jen asked.

"Pacey's a teacher?" Andie said surprised.

"Yep, teaches the little 10 year olds, who would've thought." Joey laughed. "But he loves his job, and his kids love him."

"I bet they do."

"Maybe you could come visit him before you leave, if you're leaving, or, I mean, where do you live now?" They all laughed.

"Well," Andie began. "I live in Paris actually."

"Really? Oh my god, that's so great." Joey said enthusiastically.

"Yeah, after I came back here to attend Harvard, I realized I loved Europe so much. So I went back, but this time to Paris. I've always wanted to go there so…" Andie trailed off. "But guess what?" she said suddenly.

"What?"

"I work in PR!" Andie said. "So that prediction came true too."

"Looks like they all are apart from Jen's." Joey said. "Unless…" she grinned. "You're not writing a thesis on 'Are Men Necessary' are you?" Jen laughed.

"No I'm not. Thank God. David and I are very happy together."

"Still with him?" Joey asked.

"Yep, one and a half years soon."

"Wow,"

"Not as wow as you and Pacey," Jen reminded.

"I guess, I kind of forget with him, he's this eternal thorn in my side." Joey laughed.

"But you wouldn't have it any other way right?"

"Nope I wouldn't." Joey grinned.

"Okay I've stayed in contact with both of you mostly, but for the sake of the story I'll add my little bit in." Joey and Andie turned to Jen. "Well you know I went to NYU, and now I'm a counselor for troubled teens."

"You make it sound so glamorous," Joey said sarcastically.

"Well it's not. Kids have bad problems." Jen stated.

"Tell me about it, what were we like as teens." Joey laughed.

"But we all turned out okay didn't we?" Andie said.

"Ask me in another five years and we'll see."

"Actually, that's not a bad idea. What do you say girls? Where will you be five years from now, and we'll see what happens."

"Okay once again I'm too drunk to think for myself so you tell me," Joey said laughing.

"Okay, you'll be what…28?" Joey nodded. Jen thought for a minute. "You'll be married to Pacey. Still living in Boston, but with a bigger house. You'll have your own Art gallery and Pacey will have a little kid of his own on the way." Jen smiled, happy at her analysis.

"Married to Pacey and carrying his child? Ugggh." Joey joked.

"You guys still insult each other?" Andie asked, amused.

"Yep," Joey didn't hesitate. "It's our way of showing the love."

"I bet Pacey has a few other ways you haven't mentioned." Jen laughed and Joey blushed.

"Okay so what about you guys?" Joey said quickly.

"I'll probably be living it up in Paris with my wonderful PR Company wondering why someone hasn't killed me yet!" Andie laughed but Jen and Joey looked serious.

"You don't like it?" Joey asked.

"No, I love it. Sometimes it's just the same-old, same-old." Andie smiled.

"I'll still be in the Big Bad City, hopefully married to David with a little one on the way."

"Aaah Jenny wants to be a mom!" Joey laughed.

"Hey don't mock me. Don't tell me you haven't thought about it."

"Oh of course I have. I've told Pacey many times how he can't use his sperm to impregnate me for at least another 4 years."

"What did he say?" Andie asked.

"He said he wants a Witter Junior as soon as possible." Joey smiled thinking of Pacey. "I say he even thinks about calling our Son Pacey Junior and I'm not having his kid period." Joey laughed. After a few seconds of thinking about it she said, "I think Pacey will make a great Dad someday."

"Yeah, he's the type." Andie said.

"So what about Jack?" Joey said. "What's he been up to lately?"

"Well he's still working on that book." Jack lived in New York close to Jen; he worked on a local paper and was writing a book in his spare time.

"And he's got the cutest boyfriend." Andie added excitedly. "He sent me pictures, and I spoke to him on the phone. His name's Steve and he works on Jack's paper with him."

"That's great, I haven't spoken to him in so long."

"What about Dawson?" Andie asked.

"Last I heard he was working on a big movie set." Joey said. "But that was only a week ago so I'm guessing he's still there."

"So his filmmaker dream came back huh?" Andie said.

"Yeah, but he's much more mature now, and not so idealistic. He's working his way up the Hollywood ladder." Joey smiled. She was so glad that her and Pacey had remained friends with Dawson throughout the years. They hadn't lost that childhood bond and she intended to keep it that way.

The three friends spoke throughout diner, enjoying each other's company, and when it was time to leave, they were all upset.

"So five years and we'll meet again?" Joey asked as they left the restaurant.

"Hopefully sooner. However much life gets in the way, we can't lose touch." Jen said.

"Okay, it's a deal." Andie agreed. "I'm in town for a few days so I'll probably pop by yours tomorrow to see Pacey." Andie said, hugging Joey.

"And I'm here for a break so you won't be getting rid of me anytime soon either." Jen said.

"So I guess this is it?" They all said their goodbyes, heading off in different directions, to different lives, to see just how the next five years were going to play out for them.

**THE END!**


End file.
